Thinking In The Moment
by Silverwillow of the Freljord
Summary: One-shots about a character's thoughts, like during the camp-fire in the episode, The Beach. Or when Ozai saved Zuko from drowning. What about when Azula learnt that Roku is her great-grandfather? Mai, when she was reading the letter after Zuko dumped her. OOC, One-Shot Series, Slight AU Sometimes. Leave suggestions for future chapters. :)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so first ATLA fanfiction. :P **

**I got this idea after watching The Beach. You can see that Azula shows weakness. Then I read Ozai's wikia page in the ATLA wiki and saw that Ozai **_**did**_ **try to be a good father to Zuko. In fact, around 87 AG, Ozai saved Zuko from drowning. **

**This is a one-shot series about the thoughts of the character and some slight AU's.**

**Avatar: The Last Airbender: Sozin's Comet: Part 4 - Avatar Aang**

"**I should count myself lucky. The new Fire Lord has graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell."**

"**You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar chose to spare you. Banishing me was the best thing you could've done for my life. It put me on the right path. Maybe your time in here can do the same for you."**

**-Former Fire Lord Ozai and Fire Lord Zuko**

I let out a sigh as I exit our ship. Lo and Li are here to welcome us, yet again to Ember Island. They bow, as Ursa nods to the two advisers as Zuko and Azula exit. A small smile graces my lips as I notice that Azula immediately ignores the two elderly woman and runs straight for our beach-house. Zuko rolls his eyes before bowing to the twins and sprinting right after his sister.

I reach Ursa and place a hand on her shoulder. She turns, her amber eyes somewhat guarded.

"Hello, dear. Why don't we go to the house now, before we head down to the beach?" She suggests, as I nod in agreement. I offer her my arm, and she takes it as we stroll to our beach-house. When I open the door for Ursa, I notice Zuko, staring at our family portrait hung on the wall, more specifically, my hand on his shoulder. Probably self-consciously, he touches his right shoulder, where my hand had been. Azula comes out behind a panel and calmly strolls to me, before cocking her head to the side, her amber eyes gleaming.

"Father, can we go down to the beach? Zuko and I want to see some turtle-crabs! Right, Zuzu?" She glares at her older brother, and I laugh inwardly at the pet name.

"Yeah, yeah, Azula." Zuko growls as he turns to face his parents. He latches on to Ursa's sleeve as I give a minute shake of my head.

"I'm sorry, daughter, but we must rest and unpack first." I reply, as Azula's eyes sharpen with annoyance. I hear her sigh before she sharply turns around and a few moments later, a wooden door slam shut.

"Just like you." A soft voice jokingly said, and with the same sharp eyes as my daughter, I turn to see that my wife glancing at me, a soft smile on her lips. Zuko's eyes are wide with wariness.

"Indeed." I admit grudgingly, as Ursa chuckles softly. "Off you go, son. Go unpack." Zuko sighs, as he detaches himself from his mother and turns the corner to the hall where Azula is. I turn to Ursa, and gesture to a wooden panel door, "Shall we?" She nods and slides open the panel and I follow quickly behind. She perches on the edge of the bed and waits while I undo my top knot. Dark raven hair loose, I place the Crown Prince head piece on the desk. Shrugging off my robe, I go into the adjoined bathroom. I let the cold water run over my sweaty hands before drying them quickly with a soft, hot breath.

When I exit the bathroom, I notice Ursa had taken off her own robe and her hair down. Sitting down next to her, I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as she somewhat reluctantly leans into me. Her head rests against my shoulder. She sneaks her arm around me, resting it on my bare torso as she softly pushes me closer to her. A deep chuckle vibrates in me as I transfer her onto my lap, her arms wrapping around my chest, running her hands up and down my bare back. A shiver runs up my spine as I turn her face towards me with a soft, but calloused hand. Amber eyes meet amber, as we both lean in and kiss. It's very sweet and soft, and full of passion. I crave for more. But as I see the sun slowly starting to sink, I pull away. Ursa opens her eyes, and gets off my lap. She gives me another quick kiss before opening the drawer and getting her swimwear. She closes the panel behind her as I stand and stretch. I open my own drawer, searching for my swimwear. Quickly changing into it, I pull it up to above my hips. Putting on a thinner robe, I exit the room.

Walking down the hall, I look into my children's adjoined rooms. I see Zuko, just lying on his bed, a small flickering flame in his hand. When he sees me, he immediately jumps off his bed.

"Zuzu?" Zuko calls, imitating Azula's more feminine voice. An annoyed shout of "What?" replies him as he responds telling her that I'm here. Azula immediately rushes into Zuko's room through the door between their two rooms as she makes the blue flame in her hand disappear. A smirk on her face, her eyes innocent, she puts a fist to the palm of her other hand, bowing her head.

"Be ready for the beach in a hour." I leave, and when I exit our beach-house, I feel the fire in my blood boil. The sun warms my pale skin as I let out a large breath. Descending down the steps, I finally reach the stone-garden. Preparing myself for the kata, I take deep breaths.

_In._

The fire in my blood warms me as I go into the Phoenix Stance.

_Out._

My mind envisions the perfect execution of the kata.

_In._

_Adjust your foot._ A scolding voice in my mind says, as I move my foot a smidge.

_Out._

Punch, kick, low sweep, duck, punch, another, duck, kick, kick, double-jump kick, planche, change foot direction, foot blast, rise to handstand, bend the elbows, onto the feet, punch, arch kick. 

Plumes of fire shoot out of my hands and feet. Sweat beads on my head as I finish the kata and with my fist to the palm of my hand, I bow.

Going to the nearby bucket full of fresh water, I cup my hand and scoop water into my mouth before tipping the whole bucket on me. My dark raven strands of hair are damp with sweat and the water I just tipped onto myself as I sit in the lotus position, ready to meditate.

**Ursa POV**

I sigh, twiddling my thumbs as I push a piece of hair behind my ear. Deciding to visit the children, I go to their room to see Azula and Zuko playing Flame, a game in which Azula wins every time. They're perched on their bed in their swimwear as Azula's flame flickers as her gaze meets mine. Another layer of a hidden emotion is in her gaze, her concentration is disturbed and the blue flame is put out. Zuko pumps his fist in the air, a smile on his lips.

"I won! In your face, Azula!" He crows, poking a finger against her nose.

"Zuzu, mother is behind you." Azula states calmly, but even I, as much as I don't know my own daughter, can tell she's trying to reign her anger in. My son turns around, his amber eyes wide with embarrassment.

"Zuko," I start my voice stern, "apologize to your sister." Zuko, with a sigh, does what I ask before turning to me.

"When are we going to go to the beach, mother?" Zuko asks, as I go behind Azula and undo her top knot. She yelps, yanking her hair away from me, before I gently pry her small hand away and fix it into a ponytail. I reply with "soon." And Zuko lies down on the bed, and waits as I finish with Azula's hair.

"Come on, we're going to the beach now." I gesture to the door, as the two siblings rush past me and out the door. Knowing where to find Ozai, I exit our house before going to the stone garden, where I see the Crown Prince meditating. When I approach, he opens his amber eyes.

"Dear, it's been an hour." I say, as he stands up. I can't help but admire, for the umpteenth time, his muscled chest and arms from years of training. Even though Ikem is still dear to my heart, Ozai means something to me too.

"Then we might as well go." He says, as he wraps an arm around my shoulders and me and the Fire Lord walk to the beach.

**Ozai** **POV**

As we stroll to the beach, I notice people gaping at us, before bowing on their knees. A smirk on my face, we finally settle on a blanket pre-laid out by one of the servants. An umbrella propped up, we sit down as Ursa leans against me. Pressing a kiss to her temple, I notice now that she's wearing a two-piece swimwear that bares her midriff. Azula's building a model of the Fire Nation palace, while Zuko plays with some turtle-crabs.

As I watch my firstborn gently uses his firebending to play with the turtle-crabs, and then Azula with complete accuracy with her model of the Fire Nation palace, I wonder if I hadn't married Ursa, would I have had these two children? Of course, over time, I've fallen for her, but at first, we were married for her bloodline. One is a gentle, handsome, and kind boy, although he still has a spark in him, the other, a calculate, sly, beautiful, and prodigious daughter. I walk over to her to inspect her work, and tell her some parts where she got wrong.

"The door on the east wing is between the two towers, not under the one." I say, pointing out her mistake. She hastily marks the door before covering her mistake with more sand, eager to please.

"Zuko! Be careful!" I hear Ursa call, and I turn towards where my son is, no was. Where is he? I frantically look around before spotting him in the ocean. The tides start pulling him away from the land as his eyes meet mine.

"Help!" He yelps as the turtle-crabs swim frantically around him, no doubt scared for the boy that was playing with them.

"Father, what do we do?" Azula says with concern. Azula doesn't particularly like her brother, I know, but she still cares for him.

Without thinking, I take off my robe and dive into the sea. With long strokes and ragged breaths, I finally reach my son, as he gets pulled back into the tides.

"Son, are you alright?" I mutter in his ear as we slowly swim to the shore. He gives a small nod and as soon as we reach the beach, he tears himself away from my grasp and runs for Ursa. I can tell that he is his mother's boy, like Azula is my daughter. Azula smiles as Zuko is tightly wrapped in a towel. A small smile on my face, I go to Ursa and Zuko. I sit down next to him, rubbing his back with my warm hand.

"Thank you, Ozai. Say thank you, Zuko." Ursa urges, as Zuko looks me in the eye. He stands, albeit shakily and bowing to me, his hand in a fist against his other hand's palm.

"Thank you, Father."

"It is of no problem, Zuko." I reply, as Ursa helps him down again, and they rest under the shade.

**A/N: Give suggestions for future chapters :) Sorry for the OOCness.**

**QOTD: Do/did you think Azula was too young for the throne and/or all the responsibility of hunting down the Avatar/all the duties of a Fire Lord/anything else stressing? Let me know!**

**AOTD: Azula is one of my favorite characters in A:TLA. She's composed, smart, and sarcastic. But at the age of 14, I think she's too young to be Fire Lord yet. Yes, she's smart. And yes, she's a battle strategist, but she's still a child/teen and her mind is still weak. I didn't like her as much after she started losing her mind, making her unreasonable, though it's understandable. She remains as one of my favorite characters. ^.^**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Yes, a very quick update ^.^**

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**Shoutout to airichan623 for following! :D**

**The Boiling Rock Part 2**

"**I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated; I love Zuko more than I fear you."**

**-Mai to Azula**

The sun seeps into my eyes as I give a bored sigh. Yawning, I sit up and stretch, before getting up and going to the main living space. On the table, I notice a piece of parchment. Deftly picking it up, I unroll it. My eyes widen visibly, and I clutch the piece of parchment until my knuckles are pale white.

_Dear Mai,_

_I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving. I'm going to join the Avatar. I hope you can understand. I'm doing this for our nation._

_Sincerely,_

_Zuko_

Hurt and betrayal stabs my heart. Tears gather as I fold the letter back, placing it in my cloak pocket, before rushing to find Azula. When I finally reach her room in the Royal Palace, I knock on the door before pushing open the door. Azula was in her room, sitting at her desk, reading something, probably from her father. When she hear me, she looks up, amber eyes narrowed in interest.

"Hello Mai."

"Azula, look what I've got." I say, full of anger, as she takes the letter. Her eyes scan over it quickly, before a smirk is on her face.

"So, Zuko's joined the enemy. That makes him a target. We will set out as soon as possible." With a wave of her hand, she dismisses me and I go into my room, before sitting on the couch and tucking my knees to my chest. The tears I had held in are released.

* * *

><p>"Ugh, this ship is so boring." I say in a bored tone, my chin resting on my hand, as my elbow rests against the side of the ship. When I feel a tap on my shoulder I turn, and see Azula's amber eyes meet mine.<p>

"The Warden radioed in. It seems Zuko's at the Boiling Rock." She gestures for me to follow her, and she leads me to the captain's helm, handing me a radio.

"Uncle?"

"Mai, you're friendly with Prince Zuko, aren't you?" My uncle's voice responds, as my gaze darkens.

"Why? Princess Azula has told me he's a prisoner at the Boiling Rock."

"And I'm inviting you to come _visit_ him." I turn away to face Azula, who gives me a nod and leaves the room. I turn off the radio after replying with an accept to the invitation. I see Azula watching the tides, as the wind kicks up outside. I go outside to join her as a splash of water gets on my hand.

With a sigh, I wipe my hand on my cloak. When Zuko isn't around, the boredom gets really suffocating.

* * *

><p>"How'd you know I was here?" Zuko asks, still confused.<p>

"Because I know you so well." I reply stiffly, but he still looks confused.

"But how-"

"The Warden's my uncle, you idiot." I say, looking away. I hear Zuko groan and turn back. Holding up the letter, I loosen my grip to make it unroll. "The truth is, I don't know you. All I get is a letter? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart." I continue.

"I didn't mean to-" He tries but I cut cleanly over him.

"You didn't mean to?" I hold the letter up, as I read it out loud. "Dear Mai, I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving."

"Stop!" I stop and look at Zuko as he turns his head to me. All I can think about is how he just left, without even a goodbye. "This isn't about you. This is about the Fire Nation!" He adds. I thought he was loyal to his nation. Instead he wants to bring it down with the Avatar.

"Thanks, Zuko. That makes me feel all better." I throw the letter at him, as it hits its mark on his head. He reaches his head to where it hit, before standing up and facing me. The scar still as prominent as ever on his face, he gazes into my eyes and I glare back at him.

"Mai, I'm never wanted to hurt you, but I _have_ to do this to save my country."

"Save it? You're betraying your country!" I snap but he stares back at me and replies with,

"That's not how I see it." Turning away from him, I cross my arms as my thoughts sort themselves out.

_You've never wanted this war. Who is more influential? Zuko or Azula? Will we ever get back together after the war is over?_

"Mai, please, forgive me." Zuko pleads as he makes me turn around to face him. Whipping his arms away from me, I cross the room.

"Don't touch me!" I snarl at him as he backs away to the wall. A loud siren blares as a guard runs to Zuko's open cell.

"Ma'am, there's a riot going on. I'm here to protect you." He says, and I can hear a small hint of pride.

"I don't need any protection." I retort, my brows knitted together closely in a glare.

"Believe me, she doesn't." Zuko says with a hint of a grin, but a sideways glance from me makes him turn away, though the grin is on his face still.

"I'm sorry but I'm under direct orders from your uncle to make sure nothing happens." He replies, coming in. In my peripheral vision, I see Zuko's mouth turned into a frown before he blasts the guard's feet with a plume of fire. The guard goes in front of me, his arms in a stupid protection stance.

"Get off of me!" I yell as I fling him off me and run for the cell door, but it's too late. Zuko has the door closed, and locked. Through the tiny opening in the door, I look into his amber eyes that has so many emotions swirling in them, before he runs and I'm locked in here with an unconscious guard.

* * *

><p>Taking a small stiletto out of my sleeve, I start picking the lock, until finally, a <em>click<em> is heard and I rush to the courtyard. A thousand prisoners, all fighting. I run past them to the gondolas, where I see them cutting the line to one of the gondolas. Looking up, I notice Zuko in the one they're cutting, and I immediately pin the two with the saw.

"What are you doing?" One of them asks, his voice scratchy as he looks up at me. Several guards have noticed what's happened and I answer just before one of the guards fire.

"Saving the jerk who dumped me." A plume of fire is coming towards me and I throw a blade before sliding around the wheel of wire. Two new guards are coming in and I take three knives and throw it at them, pinning them to the wall as I appear in front of another trio. I duck underneath the lead's blast and knock the two behind her before taking a sharp blade and pinning her hand cuff to the ground with a sharp stab.

Kicking the metal bar off the wheel, more guards circle me as I fight them off, until two sneak up behind me and hold my hands behind my back. I turn to the gondolas, and with relief I see Zuko's gondola moving up. But then I see Azula's gondola coming towards us. The guards bring me to the lookout, pushing me up the stairs.

Azula and Ty Lee come up after me.

"Leave us alone." Azula commands. The guards obey and I raise my head so she can see my eyes. Ty Lee looks nervous as Azula continues. "I never expected this from you. The thing I don't understand is why? Why did you do it? You know the consequences." Her gaze darkens as I reply.

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated; I love Zuko more than I fear you."

"No! You miscalculated! You should have feared me more!" She yells as I recognize her hand folding into a fist, save for her index and third finger. That's her trademark firebending style. As I draw a knife, I watch with shocked eyes as Ty Lee chi-blocks Azula. With a startled gasp and heave for breath, Azula falls to the ground with a _thump_. Ty Lee drags shakes my shoulders and I nearly fall against her. I grasp her arms and take a few steps before I see red.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" She cries, before we're surrounded by Fire Nation guards.

"You're _both _fools_!_" She says, as two of the guards help her up and support her. I glare at my once-friend, and I feel Ty Lee shiver against me.

"What shall we do with them, Princess?"

"Put them somewhere where I'll never have to see their faces again, and let them _rot!_" She orders as me and Ty Lee are led away, going into the unknown.

**A/N: That was bad ;-;**

**QOTD: Who's your favourite character in A:TLA? Let me know!**

**AOTD: I like Mai and Azula (before she lost her mind). I also like Katara after she learnt from the North Pole. Iroh, Jeong Jeong, and Bumi are also the best ^.^ When I first watched the show, I fangirled over Zuko.**


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